1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a fuel pipe protective structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fuel pipe is connected to an internal combustion engine mounted in an engine compartment. The fuel pipe disposed in the engine compartment is often disposed closer to a vehicle interior than the internal combustion engine so that the fuel pipe is less likely to be broken upon collision of a vehicle. Specifically, the fuel pipe is often disposed behind the internal combustion engine in a front-engine vehicle.
However, the internal combustion engine may move toward the vehicle interior within the engine compartment at the time of collision of the vehicle. If a fuel supply component, such as a control valve, connected to an upstream end of the fuel pipe is disposed closer to the vehicle interior than the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine would interfere with the fuel supply component. Unfortunately, the fuel supply component would be broken. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-185228 discloses a structure for preventing a fuel supply component disposed near an internal combustion engine from being broken due to interference with the internal combustion engine. In this structure, a cover for the internal combustion engine has a sloping surface that slopes downward in a direction (hereinafter, referred to as “engine moving direction”) in which the internal combustion engine would move at the time of collision. The fuel supply component is positioned such that a lower surface of the fuel supply component is disposed at a higher level than an edge of the sloping surface of the cover in the engine moving direction. Consequently, if the internal combustion engine moves, the fuel supply component will slide on the sloping surface so as to move upward.